Friends or Foe?
by Laurashley
Summary: Catherine vs Sara. Who wins? Is this a competition in the first place?
1. Round 1 Catherine vs Sara

Disclaimer: All CSI characters do not belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Author's note: Thought I would try my hand at exploring the relationship between the two female CSIs. Not slash. Read to find out!  
  
'Come on, that's not what I meant and you know it!' 'Then, pray tell me what you meant Ms. Sidle'  
  
'What's going on in there?' Greg asked Nick and Warrick, who were hesitating outside the break room. 'Well, it seems that Sara and Cath are having a rather heated discussion.' Nick answered diplomatically. 'Hmph, sounds more like an argument to me.' Warrick snorted. 'I think that this has been in the cards for a long time, ever since Sara and Catherine got off on the wrong foot when Sara first came. Remember?' 'Yeah. I hope they emerge from this as friends, or else.'  
  
'Catherine, I didn't mean that all strippers were scumbags, I meant the guys who ran those seedy establishments we went to.' 'Yeah, but that doesn't mean that girls like me who stripped rank high in your estimation, do they? We may not be scumbags, but we are not exactly the salt of the earth either, right? Besides, you have never liked me have you?'  
  
'Come on, give me a break here. I respect you. You are a great woman you know that? You put food on the table, you raised your kid, got a good degree and look at you now, one of the best CSIs that I know besides Grissom. And who am I to judge you by your choices anyway?' Sara yelled before storming out of the break room.  
  
Sara's passionate outburst stopped Catherine in her tracks. She never knew that the younger CSI felt like that. All the while, she thought that the younger woman was skeptical of her abilities and scorned her former profession. Ever since Sara became a member of the team, Catherine had had mixed feelings towards her. She acknowledged that Sara was a dedicated and talented CSI, but somehow they had never gotten along like pals. Colleagues that tolerated each other and worked well together, but that was it. They didn't tease and joke around with each other or asked after each other unlike what they did with the guys.  
  
Furthermore, Catherine had observed that Sara seemed to carry a torch for Grissom, although the elder CSI did not seem to notice. She knew that her best friend looked upon Sara as a surrogate daughter but had no romantic inclinations towards her. Catherine did not know why, but the knowledge that Sara had feelings for Grissom did not sit well with her.  
  
That same knowledge had played its part as a stumbling block when Catherine tried to get along with the younger CSI. As such, she kept her distance and stopped trying to become friends in the truest sense of the word, content with being a disinterested colleague.  
  
On the other hand, Sara was thinking about their relationship throughout the years as well. When she had first arrived, Sara had not expected to meet such a stunning woman with a vibrant personality. She had been expecting a stern, no-nonsense woman like the supervisor back in San Francisco.  
  
After getting to know her, Sara was amazed at what the other woman had been through. A former stripper, yet somehow managed to get a good degree, survived an abusive marriage and raised a daughter while rising in the ranks as a CSI. This was a woman who, in the face of adversity, had emerged victorious. And Sara was full of respect and admiration for this woman.  
  
Sara admitted that she was also jealous of the flair Catherine had with interpersonal relationships. The blonde had no difficulties in making friends or getting along with people, from the mayor down to the homeless or the handicapped. Unlike Sara, who had difficulties allowing people into her own private world.  
  
The fact that the elder CSI was a stunningly beautiful woman did not help matters any. Although not exactly plain or ugly herself, Sara had always wished that she was as beautiful or as confident of her looks as Catherine. 


	2. Round 2?

After the incident in the break room, Sara and Catherine kept well away from each other and requested that they work different cases. Grissom was not happy with what was happening but had no idea how to patch things up. People were Catherine's specialty, not his.  
  
One day, Catherine walked into the locker room to see Sara sitting dejectedly on one of the benches holding her phone limply in one hand and seemingly staring into space. Catherine walked closer and saw something that shocked her. Sara was crying!  
  
Although they had never been close, Catherine realized that she still had a soft spot for the younger woman and she was very concerned at the display of emotion.  
  
'Sara, what is it? Are you feeling sick?' Catherine asked in a soft voice while putting an arm around her.  
  
Sara just shook her head mutely while wiping away her tears with her hand.  
  
'Shift's starting in 5 minutes. You sure you're up for it? You can always ask Grissom to give you the night off.'  
  
'I'll be fine Catherine, thanks'  
  
Catherine shrugged and left Sara alone, but still wondering what was bothering the younger CSI.  
  
5 minutes later Sara appeared, more composed but it was still rather obvious that she had been crying.  
  
'Hey Sar, you look dead. Been on a hot date?' Nick asked, and was shoved none too gently by Catherine who was standing next to him.  
  
'Warrick and Nick, you two work together tonight, Sara and Catherine come with me.' Grissom said as he gave out their assignments.  
  
'Woa, not fair boss, you get two pretty ladies and all I get is Nick?' Warrick grumbled good-naturedly while walking out with Nick.  
  
Grissom looked at Sara with raised eyebrows, as she had not spoken a word since shift started. That was not like her. Usually she would have come up with witty remarks to the comments Nick and Warrick had made.  
  
He was just about to walk up to Sara and voice his concern when Catherine walked over and whispered 'She was crying just now. But wouldn't tell me why.'  
  
He nodded and decided to leave the matter alone and concentrate on the task at hand.  
  
Sara did not talk much for the rest of the shift, only speaking sporadically.  
  
When shift was over, Catherine was about to drive home when she saw Sara walk out of the building and slump against her car with tears streaming down her face.  
  
Catherine got out of her car and walked over to a very distraught Sara. Without a word, Catherine swept Sara into a hug. Sara just hung on and began sobbing onto Catherine's shoulder.  
  
Catherine let her cry for a while before leading Sara into her Tahoe. She did not want Sara to be alone at a time like this. She needed someone and although they were not close, Catherine did not hesitate.  
  
She drove to her place as she had no idea where Sara lived. She led Sara inside and sat her on the couch. Then she poured a drink for her and sat down next to her. Sara had stopped sobbing, but the occasional sniff broke free.  
  
'Sara, if you want to wash your face, the bathroom's on your right just down the hallway. I'll just leave you and go have a quick shower alright?' Catherine said as she sensed that Sara was feeling uncomfortable.  
  
Sara nodded. Catherine got up and left her alone.  
  
When Catherine came back, she saw a more composed Sara on the couch. She had washed her face and ran a brush through her hair.  
  
'Sara, you want to have something to eat?' Catherine asked. ' I am no cordon bleu chef, but I can throw together some pasta if you want.'  
  
'Thanks Catherine'  
  
'Sara, call me Cath please. By the way, do you like clams? It's just that I usually cook meatballs with my pasta and I know you don't eat that. I've got some seafood that I could throw in instead.'  
  
Sara was rather touched by the friendliness and motherly concern that Catherine was showing, not that the woman looked anything like her mother anyway. Her mother would not have showed such concern for her only daughter, she didn't know how.  
  
'Clams are fine, thanks. Is there anything I can do to help?'  
  
'Nah, nothing much to do anyway, why don't you just have a seat at the table'  
  
Not really comfortable at having nothing to do, Sara went about setting the table for two. After she had done that, she sat down and observed her colleague.  
  
'Here, I hope it tastes ok. I must admit that I have never done seafood pasta before. Just remember that I'm not trying to kill you or something if this tastes horrible!' Catherine joked as she set two steaming plates of pasta on the table.  
  
'This is delicious Cath. If this is the first time you've done this, I can't wait to taste what you are really good at!' Sara gushed after tasting her pasta.  
  
'Why, was that a compliment from Ms. Sara Sidle? My, I am so flattered. To get praise from her is the highest praise indeed!' Catherine said with a wink.  
  
Sara just laughed. Catherine was glad to see that she was feeling better.  
  
After the meal, they went into the sitting room with their coffee. Sara was looking over the various pictures of Lindsey, which hung on the walls when Catherine spoke up.  
  
'Sara, would you like to tell me what happened tonight? It's not like you to cry.' Catherine probed gently.  
  
Sara winced at the question, knowing that there was no way out of this. Grissom had commented that Catherine was like a dog with a bone, she never gave up. But after sharing light conversation with Catherine over the meal she had prepared, Sara found that she felt comfortable around Catherine, more comfortable than she ever felt with anyone.  
  
'My father passed away yesterday night. I got the call just before you found me in the locker room yesterday.'  
  
'Oh Sara, I'm sorry.' Catherine got up and went over to hug the other woman.  
  
'I was never close to my parents Cath. Although I was their only child, we were never as close as you are with Lindsey. I didn't know what came over me when I heard that he had died. I haven't seen him since I moved to Vegas.'  
  
'Sara, he was still your father and you loved each other although the both of you didn't show it.'  
  
'Yeah, I guess.'  
  
'So you will be going home for the funeral?'  
  
Sara nodded. 'I should be getting home and making the arrangements. Thanks for everything Cath. I really appreciate it. I'm also sorry for anything rude I had done since I arrived. We never really got along until now did we?'  
  
'Well, that's all water under the bridge now. Come on, I'll give you a lift home. You can make the arrangements then we'll drop by the lab so that you can arrange for some time off and collect your car.'  
  
The next day after shift, Sara was about to head home when she heard Catherine come up behind her.  
  
'Hey Sara, when's your flight leaving? Need a lift to the airport?'  
  
Sara looked over at her newfound friend. Although they had known each other for years, Sara knew that they had just stepped from being merely colleagues to being friends. And she was grateful for it. Catherine was a good friend to have in times like these.  
  
'Sure, who in their right mind would refuse a free ride? My flight leaves at 5 Cath, so make sure you get me there on time!' Sara teased her friend.  
  
'For that I am starting to regret my offer!' Catherine teased back. 'I'll swing by your place around 3.30 ok.'  
  
At the appointed time, Sara opened her door to a smiling Catherine and an obviously excited Lindsey.  
  
'Hi Sara!' Lindsey cried before jumping into her arms. Sara was unprepared for the onslaught and would have fallen if not for Catherine's quick thinking.  
  
'Whoa, hold your horses Linds' Catherine scolded. 'You just about knocked Sara off her feet! No small feat there though, many have tried and failed!' Catherine said with a smirk.  
  
Sara narrowed her eyes at Catherine and then the both of them burst out laughing at the veiled reference to Sara's non-existent love life.  
  
'Hey Lindsey.' Sara said while ruffling Lindsey's hair. Secretly Sara was surprised at the enthusiastic greeting the little girl gave her. As a rule, Sara was never comfortable with children. Not that she hated them, but she didn't know what to do around them given her limited exposure to them.  
  
Whenever Lindsey came into the lab, Sara usually stood aside whereas the other male CSIs, including the usually staid Grissom, doted on the little girl and showered her with attention. So she was surprised that the little girl seemed so happy to see her.  
  
'Mummy said we are taking you to the airport. Then I get to watch all the planes take off. I like that!' Said Lindsey, skipping around and pretending to be an airplane.  
  
'You ready Sara? Let's go before she expires from all the excitement. You would think that she was the one that was going on the plane!'  
  
At the airport, Catherine and Lindsey saw Sara to the gate.  
  
'Thanks for the lift Cath, I'll see you when I get back. Bye Lindsey, see you soon!'  
  
'Bye Sara!'  
  
'Sara, take care of yourself ok? Call me when you get back and if you're lucky I might just come and pick you up!'  
  
Sara just smiled and waved before proceeding to catch her flight home.  
  
As her plane soared into the skies, Sara closed her eyes and thought of how lucky she was to have a friend like Catherine. Sara did not have many friends and she was glad that she could have such an extraordinary person to be her friend.  
  
On the ground, as Lindsey watched intently at the planes, Catherine was also thinking about the friendship between herself and Sara. Catherine was glad that they had put aside their differences and became friends. They were not close friends yet, but Catherine believed that they would get there sometime.  
  
~ Finish ~ 


End file.
